Passing the half century mark, it’s become clear what is most important in life are not possessions but experiences.
The joy one realizes from material things is fleeting where as the happiness found in special moments can last a lifetime. Standing at the base of where the largest waterfall collides with the lowest Plitvice Lake, I knew the moment in time I was drinking up would be one I’d take with me until my dying breath. This experience was nothing short of magic.
There I was, the arrogant parochial American traveler, so overly confident nothing could ever compare to the amazing topography and natural splendor one is witness to in our many National Parks. Experiencing places like Yellowstone or Yosemite or Glacier or Zion National Park, around every corner and bend your jaw drops as you bare witness to God’s masterworks first hand. How could anything Croatia had to offer even compare? Croatia?(!)
Leaving Zadar’s 75 degree sun kissed seaside, exiting the tour van after an hour drive up 
into the mountains I never imagined I’d be able to see my breath. Shorts and a t-shirt were definitely not the appropriate attire to be wearing at this altitude, but that’s exactly what I had on. And with pick-up and our return home 5 hours away, my mind started conjuring up all sorts of ideas for survival: jog the entire trail system to keep my core temperature up; collect twigs and brush and build a fire; jump back in the van and call the day a wash. Silencing the monkey chatter in my head: I was here. Keep moving. One foot in front of the other. Let the adventure begin.
The park logo had a large brown bear in the center of its crest and approaching the park’s entrance, the +6 foot stuffed one standing next to the ominous looking wild boars were there to make visitors aware of its residents. Although the majestic landscape certainly looked like I was on Isla Nublar from the Jurassic Park movies, I was mildly comforted by the thought that at least there were no tyrannosaurus rex running around. Putting things in to perspective: no carnivorous dinosaurs to worry about today; gigantic bears and voracious boars I can handle.
“Always look on the bright side of life…” (the classic Monty Python song began playing in my head – queue the whistling).
I’d certainly seen a waterfall before, but this was far from anything imaginable. Feeling even my descriptions here won’t even come close to doing this place and experience justice, but here goes…
The springs under the earth’s surface feed an endless stream of water to what appeared to be a man made lock 
system, but it was truly a natural wonder. A chain of 16 terraced lakes empty into one another, and that is what causes endless amounts of waterfalls in all shapes and sizes and configurations to occur. Walkways made of 5′ raw wood slats meandered across the lakes, connecting to the dirt trail system that provided access to 160 sq. miles of protected parklands.
For me, what made it all so magical was the way you could walk across the water and through/under/over the waterfalls, unhindered from exploring the most remote parts of the park. In the US, due to insurance liability I’m sure those walkways would need to have guard rails and fencing and nets to keep the visitors from falling in. One could surmise in Europe they just don’t care about public health and safety, or quite possibly, their citizens simply have more common sense.
As the morning worked its way in to the afternoon, the cloud cover burned off and with it came a perfect sunny October day. With each step wandering through this dreamscape, the soothing sound of rushing water everywhere, one’s mind couldn’t help but quiet. You are cemented into the calm and tranquility of the moment. It felt like a walking meditation.
The water cascaded from one terrace to the next, each of the breathtakingly beautiful expansive lake wilderness scenes bookended by endless waterfalls emptying into and out of them. Five hours passed in the blink of an eye, and I found myself cautiously watching the time so I didn’t miss my shuttle home. There was 20 minutes left until I needed to be back in the main parking area and I still had a good distance to cover to make it back on time, so my focus turned to my watch and my pick-up point and away from my immediate surroundings.
As I reached the base of the park’s lakes, I rounded the corner and was engulfed by a cloud of mist. Looking up I was standing under Veliki Slap, the crown jewel of the park, a 50 foot high waterfall. The crowd here was dense and there was little room to stop and take it all in as everyone scurried through the wetness to get to the dry part of the walkway ahead. But there was something beconning me to stop in my tracks, so I stood as close as I could to the edge of the wooden slats to allow for people to pass behind me, looked up in awe at the endless stream of water from above, then closed my eyes and inhaled deeply.
Initially the mist seemed overwhelming and why I believe most everyone hurried
through the pseudo-rain shower. But for me, the wetness wasn’t a bother. There was an amazing dance taking place between the sunshine warming my face while it reflected off of the waterfall’s remaining essence as it dropped from the sky and crashed on to the surface of the lake. With the slight breeze generated from the locomotion of the falling sheet of water, complimented by the melodic symphony of the waterfall, I found myself in a truly magical moment. It was a state of deep inner peace and joy at a core level, a feeling of complete harmony with the natural beauty which surrounded me. It felt like I was actually astral projecting, leaving my body and floating up with the rising water particles towards the sun. It was an overwhelming feeling of pure happiness. Something I had never felt anything close to before. And I knew at that moment it would be one I’d never forget.
Yet another life lesson about how limiting assumptions can be: Plitvice Lakes National Park was absolutely worth the effort to get to; above the clouds the sun is always shining, its will is always to break through and share its warmth; and magic moments happen when you least expect them! 
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